Best meat for grilling: the recommended cuts
There is no single best meat for grilling: there is the right cut for the fire and for who is eating. What can be said with a source is which cuts technical references recommend for the grill and which ones need a different method.
This page draws on a Brazilian technical guide to beef cuts (IFTM), the Brazilian pork cuts manual (ABCS) and test kitchens for chicken. US names follow the USMEF guide, as the names commonly used.
What is the best meat for grilling?
For beef, the IFTM technical guide recommends picanha (top sirloin cap), tri-tip, top sirloin, strip loin, tenderloin, hump and skirt, and calls picanha “ideal for barbecue and skewers.” For pork, the Brazilian ABCS manual recommends ribs and collar. For chicken, America’s Test Kitchen grills thighs and drumsticks over indirect heat.
“Ideal for barbecue and skewers”: that is how the IFTM technical guide describes picanha. Source: Boletim Técnico IFTM.
| Cut | What the source says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Picanha (top sirloin cap) | Quite tender, with marbling and a fat cap; ideal for barbecue and skewers | IFTM |
| Tri-tip | The most tender part of the sirloin | IFTM |
| Top sirloin | One of the most prized hindquarter cuts | IFTM |
| Strip loin | Very tender and flavorful; the first 6–7 cm have a sinew | IFTM |
| Hump | Flavorful and tender thanks to heavy marbling | IFTM |
| Outside skirt (fraldinha) | Little fat and loose fibers; grilled in thick strips | IFTM |
| Pork ribs | Fat between the muscles bastes the meat as it cooks | ABCS |
| Chicken thighs | Moist, flavorful dark meat; indirect heat | ATK |
How to plan a grill around the cuts
Step by step 1: Pick cuts from the chart
Pair a tender cut, such as picanha or tri-tip, with a fattier one, such as hump or pork ribs. All of them are among the cuts the sources recommend.
Step by step 2: Cut skirt into thick strips
That is how the IFTM guide recommends grilling fraldinha (outside skirt).
Step by step 3: Chicken over indirect heat
America’s Test Kitchen grills thighs and drumsticks over indirect heat. Over direct medium heat, drumstick fat drips and causes flare-ups.
Step by step 4: Sugary sauce at the end
The National Pork Board warns that a sugary sauce brushed on early burns on the grill. Save it for the last few minutes.
Step by step 5: Check with a thermometer
Measure the thickest part: 145 °F (63 °C) with a 3-minute rest for whole beef cuts and 165 °F (74 °C) for poultry, according to the FDA.
Is skirt steak good for grilling?
Yes. The IFTM technical guide recommends fraldinha, listed in the US as outside skirt, for the grill in thick strips, and describes it as low in fat with loose fibers, which gives it fair tenderness. ESALQ/USP also mentions it for barbecue. The sources disagree, though, on exactly where the cut comes from.
7 to 10 minutes in total for a ¾-inch strip steak over charcoal, medium rare to medium. Source: Beef Checkoff (CBB/NCBA).
Did you know?
Which cuts should stay off the grill?
Shank has lots of connective tissue, and the IFTM guide recommends it only for moist cooking. Bottom round and brisket also need slow cooking, in a pot or wrapped in foil in the oven. With quick, dry heat they turn tough.
Is a bigger picanha a better picanha?
Not necessarily. The IFTM guide warns that a very heavy piece may include part of the bottom round, which is much less tender. It is worth looking at the piece before you buy it.
How long does a steak take on the grill?
For a boneless strip steak over charcoal, the Beef Checkoff lists 7 to 10 minutes in total for ¾ inch and 11 to 14 minutes for 1 inch, from medium rare to medium. The source doesn’t say when to flip, so confirm with a thermometer.
Sources
- Cartilha técnica dos cortes bovinos ideais para cada tipo de preparo (Pereira & Macedo). Boletim Técnico IFTM, January 1, 2016.
- Garantir qualidade é a meta principal (Macedo), Visão Agrícola nº 3. ESALQ/USP, January 1, 2005.
- Manual Brasileiro de Cortes Suínos (2010). ABCS.
- Guía de nomenclatura internacional de cortes de carne de res (Huerta-Leidenz). U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF), October 9, 2013.
- Pork cuts and cooking. National Pork Board.
- The Best Chicken Thigh Internal Temp Is Higher Than You Think. America's Test Kitchen, March 3, 2024.
- Grilled Chicken Drumsticks. America's Test Kitchen, April 4, 2017.
- Grilling Guidelines. Beef Checkoff (CBB/NCBA), January 1, 2017.
- Safe Minimum Internal Temperatures. U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), August 1, 2017.
- People at Risk of Foodborne Illness. U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), January 16, 2025.
- Preventing Food Poisoning. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), November 24, 2025.
Every source was opened and checked by Equipe Timertok on .